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Powertrain

But once the engine does come on song – the blue touchpaper moment is probably around 4000rpm – it’s an awesome thing, with linear and seemingly unrelenting thrust plus a soundtrack that could reanimate the recently deceased.

Despite the boosted power output the Rapide S still lacks the initial punch of turbocharged rivals, especially as the six-speed automatic gearbox it works with feels positively leisurely by modern standards.

Engine

There’s also a modest increase in torque – up 15lb ft to 457lb ft - but Aston also claims to have improved drivability by retuning the engine to deliver a minimum of 30lb ft extra from idle to 4000rpm.

The peak 550bhp is a whopping 80bhp more than the original Rapide thanks to a combination of revised engine internals, including lightweight hollow camshafts, a new induction system and – most importantly – a big jump in the V12’s rev ceiling.

The Rapide has always existed in a segment of one, with its tight-fitting cabin denying it the chance to be properly compared to super-saloon rivals like the Porsche Panamera and Bentley Continental Flying Spur.